Neverlight Grove
Important NPCs # Sovereign Phylo #* One of the two rulers of Neverlight Grove #* In thrall to Zuggtmoy # Sovereign Basidia #* The other ruler of Neverlight Grove #* Free of Zuggtmoy's influence #* Suspicious of Phylo # Loobamub #* Leader of the Circle of Hunters #* Loyal to Basidia #* Has tasks for party # Rasharoo #* Leader of Circle of Explorers #* Loyal to Basidia #* Knows routes to surface world # Yestabrod #* Mutated leader of the Circle of Masters #* Zuggtmoy's monstrous servant # Xinaya #* Drow trapped in a horrible fate Circles Each circle is represented by a mound - a pile of rocks and soil upon which mold, lichen and mushrooms are encouraged to grow. Myconids of a circle gather around their own mound to meld and sleep. # Circle of Hunters # Circle of Explorers # Circle of Sowers # Circle of Builders # Circle of Growers # Circle of Sporers # Circle of Masters # Inner Circle 0. Entry After a few hours of following a small stream, dimly lit by glowing lichen, the wet, narrow passage opens to reveal a panoramic view of a massive chamber beyond. In front of you, pale cream and beige mushroom stalks grow thick and tall in a central depression in the cavern floor below you, resembling a surface world forest that extends far into the chamber. '' ''Beyond the initial mud and mushrooms that spread across the central basin of this cavern, a large, clear pool sits in the midst of the fungal grove. A central mound seemingly the only dry spot in sight, though a tall cliff rises above the cavern floor far across the clearing with giant mushrooms visible in the distance. Bioluminescent fungi trace strange constellations along the cavern's ceiling and walls, showing the darkness of the ravine and a mist-shrouded smaller cavern beyond the mushrooms on the cliff. On the left side of the sprawling cavern lies a set of terraces that are covered with thousands of fungi in all colors and sizes, many of which glow with a strange, inviting light. To the right of you lies another set of terraces, these ones covered with oversized mushrooms sprouting from the mushy earth, stalactites above slowly dripping water onto their caps. 1. Fungal Wilds As you approach the interior of the cavern, the fungi growing in profusion everywhere blocks your view of most of the cavern, growing thick and making it hard to find anything resembling a path between them. The giant caps of zurkhwood mushrooms obscure your view of the cavern ceiling, but luminescent fungi there give off a shimmering aura throughout the area. With each step taken on the soggy ground, a rank scent of decay rises around you. After some time, you come upon the mound you saw previously. Inner Circle As you approach the mound, you now see a total of 5 mushroom humanoids, one standing taller than the others. Each one has two arms, two legs and what can pass as a "head", however their very form seems to be one large mushroom given sentience. '' ''Each Myconid head is shaped slightly differently, and clearly appears to be the "cap" of the mushroom creature, underneath which lies small, dark beady eyes and multiple holes where a mouth may normally be. Their backs arms and legs are covered with various sprouts, some thinner and taller, ending in a small bulb, others flat and sharp, almost like a plate of armor. The arms themselves are relatively small, but end in a hand of 4 sharp claws. Their feet lie totally flat and circular on the ground, however each foot has 3 to 4 flat claw like appendages protruding from them in every direction. As you take in this strange sight, the large zurchwood mushroom tree next to you shifts slightly. You realize now that at least some of the forest around you seems to have a mind of its own. The tallest and most physically imposing myconid approaches you. It towers above the other 4, its multiple caps swaying with the sinuous shifting of its thick stalk as it moves. It shudders slightly as small spores puff out of a few holes in its shoulders. You are greeted by a deep voice in your minds. "You are safe, friendly softers. You arrive at a wondrous time, for Neverlight Grove is on the verge of something great, something marvelous!" Stool shifts uncomfortably ''"Celebrate, as the day of joy is nigh!" '''Page 88, column 2 - conversation.' Basidia offers to show the characters around at earliest opportunity. Less imposing than Phylo, but still holding itself with an air of importance, this myconid has a flat topped cap that leans slightly to the left. It still stands above the other 3 myconids nearby, however. Circle of Hunters You approach as circular mound sitting at the edge of the wilds, but still just inside them. Seated quietly nearby is a lean myconid that stands tall as you approach. It introduces itself upon your approach as Loobamub Pg. 87, Paragraph 2 of circle of hunters. 2. Northern Terraces As you approach the northern 3 terraces, you begin to see a faint pink glow through the stalks of the fungi around you, bathing the area in dim light. Water trickles from the walls of this side of the cavern into a crude but effective irrigation system that runs through the terrace and into the wilds below. A thick sweet smell fills the air from the thousands of unji that cover the terrace with all manner of colors. Movement throughout the terrace reveals a number of myconids tending and harvesting the colorful plants around you. Circle of Builders '' You approach a circular mound on the middle terrace, near which stands a small myconid that runs up and sprays its spores excitedly, introducing itself as Gasbide.'' (gas-bead). Conversation pg. 87, paragraph 2 3. Central Basin See Inner circle and Fungal Wilds first Circle of Sporers T''his circle mound located at the base of the southern terraces is surrounded by very small mushrooms that are swaying as if in a wind, occasionally making a harsh screeching sound. Standing in their midst is a rotund myconid who appears to be in some sort of trance, swaying back and forth with its arms out to its sides, as if it were channeling some sort of energy. Yrberop '''ignores characters unless spoken to first. Pg. 90, Paragraph 1, column 1. ''Behind the myconid breeding grounds is a narrow path leading up to the tall, eastern plateau. Guarding the path is a pair of large shrimp like creatures with 4, multi jointed insect like legs and 2 massive pincers. their hunched bodies are covered by thick curved plates along thier back that ends in a wide plated tail and they have two beady eyes on either side of a bulbous head that stare dully forward. the mouth is hidden beneath multiple long, pink tentacles that hang limply. Their bodies are covered in various types of long, stringy fungus that slowly pulse a dull red. Listening closely, you can hear a muffled murmuring from atop the central plateau at the end of the trail. The view itself screened by a natural fence of soaring zurkwood stalks. 4. Southern Terraces ''The terraces are quiet and calm upon approach. The only sounds here are soft, "plop" splashes as water drips from the stalactites above onto the caps of oversized mushrooms sprouting from the mushy earth. '' Circle of Explorers ''There is circular mound here, where a few myconids are sitting in a meditative state. One particularly slender myconid approaches and introduces himself as '''Rasharoo. '' pg. 90 Circle of Explorers paragraph 2. 5. Garden of Welcome Circle of Masters The low muttering grows louder as you reach the top, turning into a symphony of moans, cries, and hisses. The only light comes from a few glowing mushrooms along the edge, but even in the gloom, you can't miss the source of the sounds. The heads of creatures of a dozen humanoid underdark races peek from the ground, mould and fungi growing around them. You see a circular mound, similar to those seen previously, about 20 feet away from you, surrounded by 4 dark figures, however before you have time to approach, a voice calls out loudly in undercommon -'' A female drow fighting to speak..... Pg. 91, left box, paragraph 2 sentence 2. After the characters speak to Xinaya, Yestabrod appears. ****SESSION STARTS HERE*** ''As Xinaya closes her eyes for the last time, a low slurping sound catches your attention ahead of you. The moans of the garden's victims take on a new tone of fear as something moves across the foul ground. A disgusting larval creature rises up before you, mold and lichen growing in hypnotic patterns along its ringed stalk. There are few signs of vestigial fungal growths that hint it might have once been a myconid. It puffs a cloud of spores from a slit resembling a mouth and the aberrant myconids voice gurgles and spits at you while it speaks aloud and within your minds at once. "Welcome travellers. Are you here for the wedding rehersal? friends of the bride or her intended? No matter! let the love of the Great Seeder embrace you as you become one with her chose, the Great Body!" As the creature attacks, Sarith screams out in agony. Can do nothing but watch as his head splits open, releasing a cloud of red spores while fungal growths sprout from his mouth nose, ears and the split in his skull. pg. 91 - 92 As Yestabrod falls, you can hear the sound of movement from the cavern to the northeast. As you approach, Echoes spill from .... After boxed text pg 92 left side The entourage is composed of 18 creatures, all of which are lost in their own reverie. They are in the midst of conducting some obscene ritual of some sort- like a parody of a wedding ceremony. You watch as the creatures move past you to the garden you just fought in. The creatures form two rows, each led by what appears to be a stand in for bride and groom.3 of the creatures pick up the corpse of Yestabrod and move it like a puppet, playing out the part of the priest. As the "bride and groom" take hands and move towards some sort of kiss, your vision goes black. Boxed text pg 92, right side. The vision ends as the ceremony does. All of the creatures file solemnly back to the cavern to the northeast. If followed You attempt to follow the procession as you enter into a huge chamber... ''Text below...''The procession all slowly split into two groups and walk down the curve of the ledge and out of view. Yggmorgus You enter into a huge chamber, with a giant mushroom towering above you. You have no clear reference to judge the toqqqwering mushrooms size at this distance. Thousands of smaller fungi cling to the main stalk, which itself splits into lesser stalks, each long enough with a cap big enough to be a great tower on its own. The cavern floor surrounding the stalk is covered by a carped of fungi which let off a constant stream of steam and a dull pinkish purple glow. An eerie luminescence pours through slitted windows carved into the trunk, with the same cacophony of atonal music heard echoing within. A stench of rot and decay wraps around you, seemingly threatening to penetrate your flesh and invade your soul. Looking around, you notice that you currently stand on a ledge and that the base of the mushroom is not visible as it continues downwards. The ledge itself is crescent shaped and hugs the cavern wall, slowly curving downwards as it curls around the tower. Scores of variously sized lumps and pockmarks suppurate and ooze over the ground, some scars in the earth scabbing over. The difficult terrain makes it hard to move quickly in this area. Wisdom saving throw DC 11 Looking into lumps Looking into the lumps, you make out the shapes of various creatures suspended within. most are humanoid, however a few seem to be occupied by small one eyed creatures with spiky limbs, long worm like creatures with 4 tentacles around a beaked mouth and giant cave spiders. As you take in the gruesome sight, one of the neraby lumps bubbles up and bursts. A dark, reeking fluid explodes outward with a cloud of purplish pink spores while your ears are filled with a piercing scream of agony and terror. Inside the pockmark left behind is what remains of a drow scout. A male drow face with long white hair and a black breastplate. He is glancing in all directions, seemingly driven mad by the pain he has been through. The rest of his body is indistinguishable from the rot and fungi slowly consuming him. He feebly thrashes, his screams rising even higher in pitch. Suddenly, he locks eyes with you and stops screaming. You can see a brief moment of lucidity replace his terror before his eyes roll back into his head in some kind of bizarre euphoria as he goes limp and slowly sinks back down into the fungal muck, eventually disappearing from view. Throughout the entire cavern, loud moans and cries of agony answer the drow's screams in a terrifying and deafening chorus, drowning out all other sounds until eventually winding down into a slow susurration of groans and burbles.The entire stalk of the giant mushroom seems to shudder, almost as if in delight. Wisdom saving throw DC 13 Looking over edge Peering over the edge of the plateau, you see 20 feet below, scores of deformed creatures dancing around the base of the giant fungal tower. The revelers are a motley collection of humanoids and various other creatures, all sporting tumors, cankers and putrid patches of flesh all over their bodies. They are joined by dancing fungi vaguely shaped and twisted into forms resembling humanoids. Approaching the end of the ramp As you approach the end of the slowly descending ledge, you can make out the details of the creatures dancing around the tower. Drow moving and dancing as if they had no bones, duergar roaring with mock merriment while their eyes stare blankly and they vomit a dark slime. Nothics laughing madly as they leap and caper. After a short moment, you see a form rise up out of the fungal muck. It is the drow scout whose terrible end you just witnessed. He wades out and joinds the other revelers in their mad dance. Voices can be heard cackling and chatting amicably about Soverign Phylo's success at "bringing so many new guests to attend the party!". None of the creatures pay attention to you. Looking past them you see a 6 foot tall entrance to the mushroom tower. Wisdom saving throw DC 15 Great Palace Walking into the hollowed stalk of the mushroom reveals a towering central hall in which a massive, vaguely female form floats, surrounded by spiraling balconies where plant creatures with vaguely humanoid forms mill about busily tending to their master. Their frail bodies are covered with clusters of luminescent lichen and crusty growths. Looking closely you realize that these creatures are preparing some approximation of a wedding gown and veil, attending to the floating form while singing and weaving the "clothing" of sorts out of long tendrils of fungal growths. As you watch, all of the creatures attending the floating form turn at the same time towards you and begin screaming, some scolding you through barely decipherable gurgles that it is unlucky for you to see the bride before it is time.